Info kiosks to grace New York subway stations

Key subway stations in New York have begun acquiring touchscreen information kiosks, to be activated this summer, as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority continues to layer 21st century technology over its 20th century subway infrastructure.

The 6-foot-plus, stainless steel kiosks, designed and paid for by New York-based Control Group, feature 47-inch touchscreens that dispense information including preferred origin/destination options.

The initial kiosks, subject to a 30-month pilot test period, will appear in 19 busy subway stations, including at Grand Central Station (underneath the namesake terminal), Penn Station, Union Square Station in Manhattan, Jackson Heights, Queens, and Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center in Brooklyn, also served by the Long Island Rail Road.

Though customer use is similar to using an iPhone, the technology includes a dispersive-signal technology (DST) on a video screen. The kiosks are fully operational in the underground environment, as opposed to numerous apps which provide similar services but often are inaccessible in subway environs.

The kiosks will list any delays or service disruptions in real time. Other display material, including advertising, is likely to be added during the test period.